Regulation of the amount of air in the cycle of an external-combustion engine



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TO CYCLE FIG I FIG. 2

Patented June 26, 1951 REGULATION OF THE AMOUNT OF AIR IN THE CYCLE OF AN EXTERNAL-CODIBUS- TION ENGINE Hendrik L. Muller, Tarrytown, and Wicher K. Bouwman, Harmon on Hudson, N. Y., assignors to Philips Laboratories, Inc., Irvington on Hudson, N. Y.

Application January 21, 1948, Serial No. 3,398

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to power control devices or systems and apparatus for a hot-gas engine.

Generally speaking this invention contemplates submitting the working cylinder or cylinder means to auxiliary engine-medium source means cyclically when the engine load or speed reaches a predetermined amount and the timing of the resultant control per cycle is varied dependent on whether the load or speed of the engine is presistent in its change. This effect is produced by connecting the cylinder means to a pressurized source of liquid or gas depending upon the engine medium and/or the atmosphere through a governor system acting cyclically upon valves in a valving system interposed between the cylinder means and the auxiliary sources. This governor system includes a centrifugal governor-actuated cam designed in accordance with a widening area of contact with the valves for increases of engine speed beyond a predetermined amount and with a curve dependent on the angle of governor swing. When the auxiliary or augmenting source means comprises either a two or more pressure level source or like volume source, both of which may or may not include the atmosphere, this same cam may be so correlated with a second or another set of valves in the valving system that a greater engine influencing pressure or volume source of the broadly conceived source than that already delineated may be brought into play upon the load reaching an upper limit beyond the load conditions already considered. In accordance with the concepts of the present invention the governor system may be arranged for either a horizontal or vertical engine driven means, and, therefore, the valving system is built to accommodate the governor arrangement. Both arrangements are described in this invention. However, the applicants do not wish to limit their invention by such precepts based on mere design problems for a particular installation. In this connection, it is recognized that a radial arrangement of cylinder means in a hot-gas engine has decided thermal and structural advantages and, therefore, the inventors have included an extra embodiment of their power control for the same to demonstrate the feasible uses of their invention.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention the full pressure of a pressurized chamber or the atmosphere is suddenly applied to all working cylinder means in a multicycle engine on a strictly simultaneous basis when the load reaches the last mentioned upper limit.

In order to produce such a result the applicants have conceived a structure similar to that already delineated but incorporating a second cam so positioned in the governor system and correlated with the first cam that when the limit of its contact with the Valves is reached the second cam takes over the engine control. This is made possible by interposing an intermediate contacting plate between all the valves and the second cam, the plate being held out of contact with these valves by a spring and plunger arrangement until the last named engine condition is acquired. I

Therefore, it is obvious that the applicants have conceived novel means for controlling an external combustion engine or hot-gas engine.

A principal feature of this invention is the attainment of proper hot-gas engine control during substantially all conditions to which the engine may ordinarily be submitted without an appreciable loss of engine efficiency when compared with that previously reached.

A primary object of this invention is to pro- 'vide a compound power control for a hot-gas engine operating under the combined conditions of slow, small, rapid and large load changes thereto.

Another primary object of this invention is to provide apparatus to overcome all the above problems.

The invention in another of its aspects, relates to novel features of the instrumentalities described herein for achieving the principal objects of the invention and to novel principles employed in those instrumentalities whether or not these features and principles are used for the said principal objects or in the Said field.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus and instrumentalities embodying novel features and principles, adapted for use in realizing the above objects and also adapted for use in other fields.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section view of one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the governor system including the same for the Fig. 1 embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section view of another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3a is a plan view of the governor piece utilized in the embodiment of Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section view of still another embodiment of the invention when power control for a radial engine is contemplated.

Fig. 4a is a plan view of the device of Fig. 4, but with the valves and cam operator removed, several of the possible positions of the cam operator being shown in dotted lines.

In Fig. 1 an air reservoir ll] of constant pressure is' connected to a flow control system of means I I, said system being actuated by governor control means l2. Air is passed from reservoir ill by means of passageway 113 through a plurality of valve controlledports l4 and onward to the respective cylinders by means of passageways [5.

The air control system H is comprised of a casting which is arranged to contain a plurality of port valves l6, associated with spring levers l8, and a table plate support means 2|. The port valves [6 consist of a port sealing head attached to a stem the stem passing through and fixed to a sealing disphragm H in an airtight manner, the valves It being guided by suitable guiding means and held, in closed position, by spring or equivalent. means, (not shown). Port valves [6 are lifted by the action of spring levers l8, which have a protrusion l9 on a lower side and are fixed at one end to an adjacent part of the, engine proper. Thespring levers can be forced from neutral position, by action of a cam surface 20 in one instance and by the combination of a table plate 22 supported on the support means 2| and a cam 3.4). The table plate support means 2| is located above the spring levers I8 as viewed in Fig. 1; and support a table plateor disc 22', which is secured to the lower end of shaft 23, the other end of theshaft being freely, fitted to move in a reciprocal manner inia shaft guide 24 mounted on the support means 2 l. Spring 25..retains table plateZZjin a neutral position, while pin 26, which is secured to said shaft, acts, as av stop. to limit maximum upward and downward travel of the table plate byabuttingends. of slots 2!v as shown.

The governor control means I2. is. comprised of a base casting 28, an eccentric cam table. 29, a cam. table shaft 30, anda spring 3| which is secured to the cam table 29 at one end, and. to the base. casting 2.8, at the other end. The automatic control means ispositioned beneath the air control system ll so that the center line of shaft. 32 is approxirnatelyv in linewith the center; line of table plate 22, and at such a distancethat cam protrusions 20 and. 34 can engage spring, lever protrusions l9 and table plate 22: at predetermined positionsinrelation to engine speed. The basecastingzfijs. fixed to the ends of an auxiliary engineshaft' 32 by means. of. key 33. Cam table shaft 35) islocated, in the base casting28 parallel to shaft 32, and. is aflixed thereto in a. smooth fitting manner to. provide easy rotation therein. Cam table 29 isan elliptical shaped. plate having two camprotrusions on its upper side which are arranged to provide the required cam action. Cam protrusion 34 is used to engage .and act upon table plate 22 while cam protrusion 2i] is a curved narrow ridge increasing in width. from section A-A to,DD and is of a predetermined angular length, the locus of the curved ridge being such as to produce the required valve action in relation to engine speed when successively engaged with valve spring, levers l8. The cam table 29 is fixed atone lobe to shaft 30 and movesin aplane perpendicular to shaft 32. At the cam table lobe opposite to that which issecured to shaft 30, is fastened spring 3], the other end of the spring being secured to base casting 28 as shown.

When engine shaft 32 revolves at low speed in.

a clockwise direction, as seen from top view of the cam table 29, part A-A of cam protrusion 20 will successively contact the spring levers [B at a time when the pressure in the system is minimum, allowing the addition of air to the system, thus, resulting in a relatively large engine torque. As the rotational speed increases this contact will be shifted toward part DD of cam protrusion 20, since the centrifugal force developed will overbalance the resistance of spring 3| resulting in a movement of cam table 29 in a clockwise direction. This will result in the port valve [6 being open a time during the period when the pressure in the cylinder is higher, hence, a decreasing amount of air due to the relief action will be involved in the process affecting a decrease in engine torque. If: this reduction is ins'uflicient with regard to the small load on the engine, the subsequent increase in speed will bring cam 34 into contact with table plate 22, and all of the valves will be simultaneously opened allowing air in the cycle to returnto reservoir lli resulting; in a quick drop. in power which produces a lowering of engine speed.

Fig. 3 illustrates. another method for regulating the engine speed. It is seen that the air control system is comprised of a. plurality of valves l6 and 39- arranged in pairs which, are placed: in a casting in a manner to provide port-valve sealing means, valve it beingfixed to the diaphragm ll, while valve 39 rides in a valve guide 40,, both valves being acted on by the springlevers H! which are fixed at one-endas describjedheretofore. The spring levers. ,8 are. arranged to; be forced upward from a neutral. position when,contacted by the. narrow ridged cam 20 which is located on top of a governor piece ll-as seen in Fig. 3a. The governor. piece. 4| whichmoves; in a vertical plane is pivoted by means; of pin", to a basev 58 which is fixed by a key 33, tora, shaft 32 and the governor piece zt-isretainedby means of the attached spring 8]., the other; end ofthe spring. being fixed to the basefifi. as shownhere tofore.

A study of Fig. 3. and 3a shows that in slow speed operation the automatic controlmeans 3,8 revolves in a clockwise directionas seen froina top View of the automatic; control means 38, producing successive contacts between, part A,A- of cam protrusion 26, and spring levers L8, at. a. time, when the pressurein thesystem is. minimum, thus, resulting in maximum, engine torque. As the rotational speed increases this contact will be. shifted toward part DD of carn protrusion 20, since the centrifugal force developed will overbalance theresistance of, spring 3| resulting in the movement of.- governor piece 4] in anoutward. direction. This will result in the, port valves. is. being opened. at a time when they pressure. in thesystem. is at a maximum, hence, a decrease in. the. amountofair willbe involved in. the. process affecting; a-v decrease in the engine torque. If: this reduction is. insuilicientwith respect to the smallload, on. the engine, the subsequent, increaseinspeed will bring cam 20. in successive contact with, valves 33} which would open the systemto; theatmosphere producing a quick drop in power, resulting in the desired lowering of engine speed.

' Figs. 4 and 4a illustrate another device for controlling the engine. speed, as, applied. to. an engine with radially placed valves. is coupled to governor elements :16 .by..mea ns,o. a pinion and sector racks 48, the, governor, elements 46 being affixed to. shaft 33' by means of. base49, andheld in neutral position.by springs A. cam 4.5;.

50 as shown. A lever means 5| is afiixed to the governor elements 46, and arranged to operate an auxiliary cam 45 at a predetermined moment.

It can be seen that when shaft 32 revolves in a clockwise direction, rotary motion is transmitted to cam 45 and valves 53 are thus successively operated upon. As rotational speed increases the cam position is changed by virtue of action of the gear means which respond to centrifugal forces, thereby eifecting a change in valve opening time. At maximum speed the centrifugal force developed produces a maximum throw of the governor elements 45, resulting in the simultaneous operation of all valves 53 by action of auxiliary cam 45, which has been forced to operating position by lever means 5|.

What we claim is:

1. In combination; a hot-gas engine comprising at least one working cylinder means, and a power control for said engine comprising; an'

augmenting gas source, means including valve means interposed between said source and said cylinder means, driven means coupled to said engine, governor means coupled to said driven means, cam means actuable by said governor means for opening said valve means cyclically upon said driven means being driven by said engine.

2. In combination; a hot-gas engine comprising cylinder means, and a power control for said engine comprising; two supplementary engine gas sources each having a different pressure, means including valves for selectively coupling said sources to said cylinder means, driven means coupled to said engine, governor means coupled to said driven means, cam means coupled to said governor means responsive to engine speed changes for motivating said selective valves so that one of said gas sources is selected at a different speed of said engine than is the other of said gas sources.

3. In combination; a hot-gas engine including ing cylinder means, and a power control for said engine comprising; auxiliary engine-medium source means with at least two pressure levels, means including radial valves for selectively coupling one of said source means to said cylinder means, driven means coupled to said engine, governor means including two spring retained and vertically pivoted symmetrical elements with opposed sector gears coupled to said driven means, pivotal cam means for actuating said valves sequentially and cyclically, and gear means coupled to said cam means interposed between said sector gears for movement thereby, whereby the timing of the sequential and cyclic actuation of said radial valves is varied in accordance with engine speed changes.

4. In combination; a hot-gas engine comprising a working cylinder system and a drive shaft, and a power control for said engine comprising; an auxiliary engine-medium source means coupled to said system, an engine-medium flow control means including valves, intermediate valve contacting means for opening and closing said valves, said flow control means being interposed between said cylinder system and said auxiliary source means, a centrifigal governor means in positive association with said drive shaft, said governor means including a cam means for cyclically actuating said intermediate valve control means at a predetermined engine speed, and said cam means including means for causing continuous actuation of said intermediate valve controlling means at another predetermined engine speed.

5. In combination; a hot-gas engine comprising a working cylinder system and a power control for said engine comprising; an augmenting gas source, means including valve means interposed between said source and said cylinder means, driven means coupled to said engine, centrifugal governor means coupled to said driven means, said governor means having a retaining spring to act in opposition to centrifugal forces developed by said governor means, a cam means operatively associated with said governor means for actuation thereby, said cam means being arranged to successively open said valve means at one. predetermined speed and to simultaneously open said valves at a speed other than said predetermined speed.

6. In combination; a hot-gas engine including cylinder means and a drive shaft, and a power control for said engine comprising; auxiliary engine-medium source means, and engine-medium flow control means having valve means and intermediate valve operating means, said valve means being interposed between said source means and said cylinder means, centrifugal governor means in positive association with said engine drive shaft, said governor means including a cam means arranged to successively actuate said valve operating means, the position of said cam means relative to the main drive shaft being varied by said centrifugal governor in response to the rotative speed thereof.

'7. In combination; a hot-gas engine including cylinder means and drive shaft, and a power control for said engine comprising; auxiliary enginemedium source means, an engine-medium flow control means having intermediate valve operating means, said flow control means being interposed between said source means and said cylinder means, a centrifugal governor means in operative association with said engine drive shaft, and guided table plate means arranged for simultaneous actuation of said valve means in. one position thereof, means biasing said table plate means away from said one position, said governor means including a cam means arranged to successively actuate said valve operating means at a predetermined engine speed, and said cam means being also arranged to move said biased table plate means to said position at a speed other than said predetermined speed.

8. A power control for a hot-gas engine having at least one working cylinder means, said power control comprising; an augmenting gas pressure source, conduit means having one end thereof connected to said augmenting gas pressure source and the other end thereof adapted to be connected to said working cylinder means, valve means in said conduit means, rotatable means adapted to be driven by said engine, governor means mounted on said rotatable means, and cam means coupled to said governor means and actuatable thereby for cyclically opening said valve means.

9. A power control for a hot-gas engine having at least one working cylinder means, said power control comprising; an augmenting gas pressure source, conduit means having one end thereof connected to said augmenting gas pressure source and the other end thereof adapted to be connected to said working cylinder means, valve means in said conduit means, rotatable means adapted to be driven by said engine, governor means mounted on said rotatable means, and

6am means coupled to said governor means and actuatable thereby for cyclicall opening" said valve means to avariable' extent dependent upon theh speed of rotation of said rotatable means.

10; A power control fora hot-gasengine having at' least one working cylinder means, said 'power. control comprising; an augmenting gas pressure source; conduit means having one end thereof." connected to said augmenting gas pressuresource and the other endv thereof adapted to be connected to said Working cylinder means; valve means in said conduit means,v valve con"- trolled ventmeans located in said conduit: means between said valve means in said conduit means and said other end thereof, rotatable means adapted to be driven by said engine, governor means mounted. on said rotatable means, and cam means coupled to said governor meansand actuat'able; thereby for cyclically opening said valve means at one predetermined speed of ror tation of: said rotatable means and for opening said; vent means. at a second predetermined speed ofrotation of said rotatable means.

1-1. A power control for a hot-gas engine having at least one working cylinder means;v said 2 power control comprising; an augmenting gas pressure source, conduit means having one end thereof connected to said augmenting gaspressure source and the other end thereof adapted to be connected to said working cylinder means, valve means in said conduit means, rotatable means adapted to-be driven by said engine, governor meansmounted on said rotatable means, cam means coupled to said governor means and actuatable thereby for cyclically opening said valve means, said cam means being contoured tovary the timing of said cyclic opening of said valve means in accordance with the speed of rotation of said rotatable means.

H. L. MULLER,

'W; K. BOUVVMAN.

REFERENCES CITED 7 The following references are of record in the 'file" of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS an a. 

